On Wednesday, Mayor Rob Ford will be in court to explain why he participated in a council debate about whether he should return $3,150 in improperly raised donations.

The case was initiated by Toronto resident Paul Magder, whose lawyer argues Ford should have taken no role in discussing a report from the city’s integrity commissioner that concluded he had improperly used his city council status to solicit funds for his football foundation.

Commissioner Janet Leiper took the matter to council after Ford ignored six requests from her for proof that he had repaid the money, as ordered, to the donors — several lobbyists, their clients and a business.

Despite a warning from the council speaker that he might be in a position of conflict of interest, Ford made a speech and took part in the 22-12 council vote that relieved him of any obligation to return the funds.

(Routinely, councillors declare conflicts on agenda items that may affect their own or their family’s financial interests, and absent themselves from speaking or voting on the item in question.)

The stakes are high. If found to have contravened conflict of interest rules by voting on the item, Ford could be forced from office. Alternatively, he might keep his job if the court found a contravention occurred by reason of “inadvertence” or error in judgment.

While Ford is the centerpiece of the case, there are high-profile lawyers on both sides, a prominent judge from out of town, and a complainant who’s often mistaken for someone else.

Here are the players:

The defendant

Mayor Rob Ford: Toronto’s 64th mayor is almost halfway through a four-year term that ends with the next election in October 2014.

The colorful chief magistrate was first elected as a city councillor for Ward 2, Etobicoke North, in 2000.

He has often been a lone wolf at council, frequently railing at spending he considered excessive, and threatening to run for the top job. His threats were a source of amusement to other councillors until he threw his hat into the ring in 2010, running a historic campaign that resulted in a resounding victory. With his mantra “Respect for taxpayers,” Ford has made cutting the city’s budget his main objective since taking office.

The complainant

Paul Magder: A business executive who has strong views on keeping government accountable for its actions, Magder is not related to furrier Paul Magder, who spent years fighting for Sunday shopping.

In addition to alleging that Ford broke conflict of interest rules, Magder also formally complained about Councillor Doug Ford’s attempt to redevelop the city’s Port Lands.

Magder raised concerns about possible “secret backroom dealing” after Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother, revealed that an Australian mall developer was interested in the Port Lands site.

At the time of launching his complaint a year ago, he told the Star’s David Rider that he is a business person with no direct stake in the waterfront.

“I just followed (the issue) in the paper; I’m disgusted that we went to all the trouble to come up with a (waterfront) plan that may need some tweaking, but now we’re throwing it all out for an asinine plan that came out of the blue.”

Doug Ford later backed off on his development vision, deferring to the planning efforts of Waterfront Toronto, the agency responsible for turning around the derelict Port Lands.

The judge

Justice Charles Hackland: The Ottawa-based Hackland is Ontario’s chief judge for the Eastern Region. He is not unfamiliar with high-profile political cases. He tossed out a conspiracy and defamation lawsuit launched by ousted Conservative cabinet minister Helena Guegis against Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Hackland ruled that it’s Harper’s decision as to who serves in his cabinet.

In a case involving municipal government, the judge concluded Ottawa officials acted reasonably in issuing a building permit for a group home for battered women. He ruled against nearby residents who didn’t want the project built.

The lawyers

Alan Lenczner: Representing Ford, he was named by Canadian Lawyer in 2010 as one of the country’s most influential lawyers. He is with the downtown law firm Lenczner Slaght.

He acted for then-mayor Mel Lastman in the inquiry into Toronto’s MFP computer leasing contract, inked during Lastman’s time in office. The inquiry, headed by Justice Denise Bellamy, examined the conduct of city councillors and officials involved in the contract, which escalated from $43 million to $85 million without council approval.

The inquiry came up with more than 200 recommendations to help councillors and officials operate ethically and avoid specific and apparent conflicts of interest. There were also recommendations on accepting gifts, registering lobbyists, and improving procurement practices.

Clayton Ruby: Representing Magder, Ruby is a leading defence lawyer. He acted for Donald Marshall Jr. in the 1989 Royal Commission into Marshall’s wrongful conviction for murder. He worked to secure an acquittal for accused murderer Guy Paul Morin and negotiated a 1998 settlement for the three surviving Dionne quintuplets.

“I think (Ford) is doing bad, bad things,” Ruby said last spring. “It’s not a left-right thing … He came in as a bully determined to demonize anyone who disagrees with him and is a person whose approach to governance is not what I think is in the Canadian public interest.”

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